Reclining chair with adjustable ottoman bracket



Jan. 17, 1961 F. D. HOFFMAN, JR 2,968,339 RECLINING CHAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE IO'IVTOMAN BRACKET Filed Sept. 18; 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BYM ATTORNEYJ' F. D. HOFFMAN, JR RECLINING CHAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE OTTOMAN BRACKET Filed Sept. 18, 1957 Jan. 17, 1961 INVENTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY!)- This invention relates to reclining chairs. and moreparticularly to reclining chairs having'adjustable ottoman brackets. i

"Many reclining chairs haye been developed with leg rests having an upward and forward movement coordirated with the movementof the chair. 'In'most reclining chairs however, the leg rest i's fixed ontheoperatin'g' linkage, limiting the movement of the, le'g rest indepen dently of the linkage. The desirable feature, ofjadjustab'ility' in accordance with the desires of'the occtlpairitof chair is therefore lacking. i

important object of this inventionis to provide an ottoman bracket which is adjustable independently of the operating linkage.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable ottoman bracket having movement about its pivot whiclrmay'be regulated inaccordance'with the requirements and'desires-of-the individual.

In attaining these objects, one feature of the invention residesfin the arrangement of a reeli'riing chaiihaying a reclining-member which is; movable with respect to the stationary framework and an adjustable [ottoman carried by a linkage connected to the reclininginember andthe stationary framework so that movement of the reclining member to reclining position extends the adjustable ottoman to a position'upwa'rd' and'forwar'dly of"the"'chair. Stops control the ottoman so that in retracted position the bracket extends vertically in front of the chair to form a front panel. Other stops limit adjustment of the ottoman about its pivot point relative to its supporting linkage when in extended position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a sectional side view of the reclining chair embodying the invention in its preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the reclining chair shown in Fig. 1 with one of the operating linkages of the chair and adjustable ottoman brackets fully extended;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of one of the operating linkages shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of one of the operating linkages and adjustable brackets shown in Fig. 1, with the adjustable ottoman bracket shown in both its normal and retracted position.

The reclining chair generally indicated at 10, has a stationary framework 12 and a reclining member 14 including seat 16 and a back 18 which are rigidly connected and operate as a unit. Attached to the stationary framework 12 is a substantially horizontally extending bracket 20, preferably of metal construction, extending from the front to the rear of the chair intermediate the height of the stationary framework. A second metal bracket 22 carries a depending arm 24 pivoted to bracket 20 by pin 26 at its end. Reclining member 14 is supported by bracket 20 for pivotal movement relative to the stationary framework 12.

The linkage system and the frictional resistance adlfatsn Q N eiea es ..-Iaa-l? 931 iflfitm nt im lant hat ho n, my p n i s pa n application SerQNo. 572,346. It will be understood that ifi"describingthe operating linkage and ottoman bracket,

there aretwo such linkage systems and brackets disp e'd within the framework one on each side of the chair. Included in this operating linkage is a lever 28 which is pivoted at 301:0 the front end of bracket 20. Rigidly 'secured to, lever 28 and. extending perpendicula it isaj crank arm 32. acting, with lever 28,

Transmitting movement of the reclining member 14 to lever 28 is an actuating link36 Whichis pivoted at 38 to the frontof bracket 22. The opposite end of link 36 ispivotedfat 4 0 to fcrank arm 32. Pivoted at 42 to the end offle'ver 2g isanother lever-Q44 with its opposite end pivoted at, 46th ottoman supporting link 48. A lever 5t),.isp ivot at 5 2ltojlever 44 intermediate its own length and also interrnediate the length of lever 44. Pivoted to theout er end' 'of'link 50 at 54 and to the end of ottoman supportinglirik 48 afl56 is a link 58. A lever 60 is pivotedat 62 to'lever '28 intermediate its own length and also intermediate the length of lever 28. One end of lever fitl is pivoted to amend of lever 50 at 64 and the other errant lever 60 projects beyond lever 28 and is PiYQted at 66-to an end of a guide link 68. The opposite end ofguide, link' 68. is pivoted at 70 to bracket 20 on stati n ry am wo -1 Pivoted substantially intermediate ottoman supporting link 48 is an adjustable ottoman bracket 72 which will bedes'ci ibedjn greater detail later in the specification.

The described operating linkage moves the adjustable ottoman bracketlfroma retracted position in front of the chair; upward anjd forwardly to an extended position upon movement of the'reclining member 14 to a reclining position. 'as'jdescribediand as shown inmy aforementioned Pent-ins pp t i n S r- N 7 3 6.

Generallyindicatedatjflg is a frictional resistance adjusting means as disclosed in 'copending application No,57 2,l346;,. whic rds" a variable friction resist'ance to movement at the pivotal connection between the actuating link 36 and crank arm 32. An arm 76 which is pivotally mounted on the same pivot which connects link 36 to crank arm 32, is disposed adjacent an opposite surface of the crank arm. As best seen in Fig. 3, the crank arm 32 is disposed between the link 36 and the arm 76.

At the upper end of the arm 76 is an aperture 78 which corresponds with a similar aperture 80 in link 36 with screw 82 passing through these apertures. A spring biasing device in the form of a spiral spring 84 is disposed co-axially about the screw 82. The inner end of spring 84 bears against the surface of link 36 while the opposite end bears against a washer 86 which in turn bears against a butterfly nut 88 in threaded engagement with the screw. By adjusting the position of the butterfly nut the pressure of the springs can be adjusted controlling the friction exerted by arm 62 and link 36 on crank arm 30.

The adjustable ottoman bracket 72, as best seen in Fig. 4, has a flange 90 cooperating with a similar flange on the linkage at the other side of the chair for supporting an ottoman. A leg 92 integral with and normal to the flange 90 has two ears 94 and 96 which form a recess 98 therebetween. Ear 94 is disposed intermediate the leg 92 and is pivoted at 100 to the supporting link 48 intermediate the length thereof, while ear 96 is disposed at one end of the bracket. Projecting from the outer surface of ear 96 is a stop 102 and projecting from the inner surface of the leg 92 approximately intermediate the pivot the ottoman, a front panel, stop 106 striking against crank arm 32 and stop 102 against lever 58, as best shown in Fig. 1. On opposite ends of supporting link 48 are located stops 108 and 110. Although recess 98 accommodates stops 110 when the bracket is in retracted position in front of the chair, the stops 108 and 110 are free from contact with the bracket. Upon movement of the operating linkage, stop 110 on supporting link 48 moves into engagement with the recess 98 formed by the ears 94 and 96. Upon continued movement of the chair from a retracted position to an extended position, the ottoman bracket is freed from its restrained position in front of the chair and is permitted to move about its pivot taking any position between stops 108 and 110 which limit its pivotal movement. This adjustable feature becomes operative almost immediately upon the movement of the operating linkage from its retracted position and is available whether the operating linkage is fully extended or only partially so. When retracted, stops 102 and 106 secure the ottoman bracket in a fixed, vertical position.

The foregoing description is one embodiment of the invention and it will become apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a reclining chair having a reclining member supported by a stationary framework and linkage means connected to said reclining member and said framework for moving an ottoman between extended and retracted positions; an adjustable ottoman comprising an ottoman supporting link manipulated by said linkage means, an ottoman supporting bracket pivotally mounted upon said supporting link, a pair of spaced stops on said ottoman supporting bracket engageable with said linkage means to prevent pivotal movement of said bracket upon said supporting link when said ottoman is fully retracted, and means engageable between said bracket and said supporting link to permit limited pivotal movement of said bracket on said link when said ottoman is at least partially extended from said retracted position.

2. In a reclining chair having a reclining member supported by a stationary framework and linkage means connected to said reclining member and said framework for moving an ottoman between extended and retracted positions; an adjustable ottoman comprising an ottoman supporting link manipulated by said linkage means, an ottoman supporting bracket pivotally mounted upon said supporting link, a first pair of stops on said ottoman supporting bracket engageable with said linkage means to prevent pivotal movement of said bracket upon said supporting link when said ottoman is fully retracted, and a second Pair of stops on said supporting link engageable with said bracket to permit limited pivotal movement of said bracket upon said link when said ottoman is at least partially extended from said retracted position.

3. In a reclining chair having a reclining member supported by a stationary framework and linkage means connected to said reclining member and said framework for moving an ottoman between extended and retracted positions; an adjustable ottoman comprising an ottoman supporting link, a pin at each end of supporting link pivotally connecting said supporting link to said linkage means, each of said pins projecting outwardly beyond one side of said link, an ottoman supporting bracket mounted upon said one side of said link for pivotal movement relative to said link limited in one direction by abutment between said bracket and one of said pins and limited in the other direction by abutment between said bracket and the other of said pins, and a pair of pins projecting from said bracket and engageable with said linkage means when said ottoman is in said retracted position to prevent pivotal movement of said bracket on said supporting link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 603,155 Smith Apr. 26, 1898 903,361 Davis Nov. 10, 1908 2,236,983 Yusek Apr. 1, 1941 2,248,369 Ludersen July 8, 1941 2,693,845 Hoffman Nov. 9, 1954 2,779,392 Knabusch et al I an. 29, 1957 2,804,910 Bayer Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 273.182 Great Britain June 30, 1927 

